What Should I Do If I Knocked a Tooth Out Away From Home?

Posted August 26, 2017.

Unfortunately, dental emergencies happen, even when you’re away from home. This is quite inconvenient and even scary, but there is no need to worry—everything will be OK, thanks to the great dental professionals and treatments in the world today.

If you’re away from home and you have knocked a tooth out of place, our dentist, Dr. Amit B. Patel, would be happy to walk you through the necessary steps to handle and improve the situation.

First, reach out to a local dental office that can see you for an emergency appointment. When you talk to the dental team, make sure to explain the situation so they know what happened before you arrive at their office. It’s also best to take care of any insurance or health questions or paperwork over the phone so you don’t have to wait in the lobby with a knocked-out tooth.

Second, pick up the tooth. However, only pick it up by the crown, which was the visible section of the tooth when it was still in place. Next, run it under warm water. This should wash any dirt and blood away. When you rinse it, do not scrub. Scrubbing will apply more damage to the tooth.

Third, try to put the tooth back into place. As you do this, make sure the tooth is facing forward. All you need to do is place the roots and the bottom of the tooth in the gum socket. This can help keep the tooth alive until you see the dentist. However, sometimes this option doesn’t work. If this is the case for you, it’s important to use other measures to keep it alive, like putting the tooth between your gums and cheek, in a tooth-preservation product, or in a glass of milk.

For more information on how to handle a knocked-out tooth while you’re away from Ashburn, Virginia, please call Ashburn General Dentistry at 703.724.4470 as soon as possible. Our dental team will be happy to help you through this situation so you can have the best results possible.